Status: Issued South Wealden Growth Area Landscape and Ecology Studies _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8.0 Upper Dicker and Lower Dicker 8.1 Context Location 8.1.1 The Lower Dicker sub-area extends from the eastern edge of Horsebridge, c.2.5km west incorporating sites along and close to the A22 corridor. The Upper Dicker sub-area is to the south of Lower Dicker. It extends from the cross roads of Camberlot Road and Coldharbour Road northwards to meet the A22. Twenty five sites were assessed within this sub-area. (Refer to Figure 8.1 for location of sites). Landscape Character Context 8.1.2 At the County Level of Landscape Character Assessment (LCA), all sites within the Lower Dicker and Upper Dicker area fall within the Eastern Low Weald LCA. Refer to Figure 2.1 for County Landscape Character Context). This area is briefly summarised below with the characteristics of particular relevance to this sub-area underlined for emphasis. The summary is taken from the East Sussex County Landscape Assessment1: 8.1.3 The Eastern Low Weald County LCA is summarised as: This area is more open and exposed than the western low weald, with many more flat, treeless areas. It contains the large woodland areas of Abbot’s and Vert Woods, which are mainly conifer plantations. Running from Ringmer in the west (outside Wealden District) to Polegate in the east the area contains the upper River Cuckmere and Arlington Reservoir. The key characteristics are described as: • Significant areas of flat, nearly treeless country with remote windswept feel. • A greater area (15%) is under woodland than in the Western Low Weald but, by contrast, nearly all of this is in large blocks over 2 Ha. • About half the woodland is coniferous. • Hedges and hedgerow trees are slightly less abundant, and trees are often small and wind-bent. • Ancient pathways cross the area, including ancient Drove roads running North and South across the Low Weald. • Fine, open views of the Downs. • Small, remote and largely unspoiled rural villages. • Historic designed landscapes and parkland. • Small, winding, partly tree-lined streams, notably the River Cuckmere, but also many artificial, straightened drains and channels 8.1.4 Most of these characteristics e.g. ‘flat, nearly treeless country with remote windswept feel ’ and ‘many artificial, straightened drains and channels ‘ are more typical of the landscape to the south and west of the Eastern Low Weald than of the area around Lower and Upper Dicker. 1 East Sussex County Council (2010). The East Sussex County Landscape Assessment. http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/environment/landscape/download.htm __________________________________________________________________________________ The Landscape Partnership April 2017 132 Status: Issued South Wealden Growth Area Landscape and Ecology Studies _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8.1.5 At the local level of landscape character assessment, the sites all fall under the one Landscape Character Type (LLCT): Wooded Clay Vales LLCT which covers a large area extending from East Hoathly with Halland in the west to Hailsham in the east. Within this, two Local Landscape Character Areas (LLCA) are relevant D5: Chiddingly and D6: Upper Dicker, (refer to Figure 8.2). 8.1.6 The key characteristics of the Wooded Clay Vales LLCT are: a rolling landscape of clay vales with a small-scale patchwork of arable and pastoral fields, interspersed with small areas of woodland (much of which is Ancient Woodland). Settlement is dispersed with a small-scale pattern of rural hamlets, villages and farmsteads which tend to be located along the network of minor roads that cross this predominantly rural landscape. A network of footpaths connects these settlements to their landscape settings. In contrast, the A22 main road corridor runs east –west across the northern part of the LLCT and also forms part of its eastern boundary. There is a strong landscape structure arising from the network of mature hedgerows and tree lines and a strong historic continuity with many ancient field patterns apparent and several areas of Ancient Woodland. Overall, the Wooded Clay Vales LLCT is assessed in the Wealden Landscape and Settlement Character Assessment (2014) as having High Landscape Sensitivity and High Landscape Value. 8.1.7 LLCA D5: Chiddingly is located on the north-eastern edge of the Wooded Clay Vales LLCT. It is a relatively large LLCA and its main characteristics are detailed below with those characteristics which are particularly evident in Upper and Lower Dicker underlined for emphasis: • several small villages and hamlets, such as Chiddingly, Muddles Green and Whitesmith; • very strong sense of remoteness and tranquillity within the northwestern part of this area around Chiddingly. Here, a network of small to medium-scale, predominantly pastoral fields are lined with small mature woodlands and a dense hedgerow network; • The network of rural roads is lined with trees and trimmed hedgerows; • Short-distance views to wooded skylines contribute to recognisable sense of place. The landscape is crossed by numerous stream corridors; and, • The A22 main road corridor runs along the southern edge of the area introducing a source of noise and movement and reducing the sense of remoteness and tranquillity in the south. • Overall, this LLCA encompasses a patchwork of predominantly pastoral fields, small woodlands and stream corridors. __________________________________________________________________________________ The Landscape Partnership April 2017 133 Status: Issued South Wealden Growth Area Landscape and Ecology Studies _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Photo 8.1 – Pastoral fields with short distance views to wooded horizons are typical of LLCA D5: Chiddingly within the Wooded Clay Vales LCA Photo location: View north across site 010/3090 (Rosendale, Hackhurst Lane – Lower Dicker) 8.1.8 There are ten sites (888/3090, 880/3090, 802/3090, 803/3090, 579/3090, 233/390, 010/3090, 863/3090, 869/3090, 870/3090) which fall within this LLCA. These sites are generally representative of the wider LLCA displaying some of the key characteristics of the area set out above. They sit within the southern part of this character area where the A22 is a dominant feature affecting, to some degree, the sense of remoteness and tranquillity, which is more relevant to the northern part of the LLCA. An extensive Public Rights of Way network is also a prevalent characteristic in this area. Photo 8.2 – The A22 corridor is suburban in character and contrasts with the remoteness and tranquillity of the wider landscape surrounding Lower and Upper Dicker Photo location: View north across the A22 from the site entrance to site 659/3090 (Land at Lower Dicker Garden Centre) __________________________________________________________________________________ The Landscape Partnership April 2017 134 Status: Issued South Wealden Growth Area Landscape and Ecology Studies _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8.1.9 LLCA D6: Upper Dicker is located in the southern part of the Wooded Clay Vales. The key characteristics of the D6: Upper Dicker LLCA are detailed below with those characteristics which are particularly evident in Upper and Lower Dicker sub-area underlined for emphasis: • This LLCA encompasses a radial network of minor rural corridors which converge at the village of Upper Dicker in the centre of the area. • There is a strong sense of remoteness and tranquillity throughout much of the area, which comprises a relatively small-scale patchwork of arable and pastoral fields. • There is strong historic continuity within this area, evidenced by the ancient field pattern and the remains of Michelham Priory to the southeast of Upper Dicker, in the east of the area. • The gently meandering corridor of the River Cuckmere is a key landscape feature within the east. • Views southeast from the eastern part of the area are enclosed by mature woodland within Wilmington and Abbot’s Wood (LLCA D7). • There is a mature landscape structure of hedgerows and trees throughout. 8.1.10 D6: Upper Dicker covers all 15 sites to the south of the A22 (311/3090, 799/3090, 659/3090, 864/3090, 853/3090, 852/3090, 881/3090, 878/3300, 861/3300, 015/3300, 405/3300, 224/3300, 867/3300, 662/3090 and 836/3300). They are generally representative of the LLCA however, the sites are clustered in the centre and in the northern part of the LLCA, so the River Cuckmere and Wilmington Wood which are situated in the south-east part of the area have little influence over the sites. Other notable characteristics within this area are an extensive network of Public Rights of Way and a succession of reed fringed ditches and ponds located close to Coldharbour Road. Photo 8.3 – Minor rural corridors with strong landscape structure of hedgerows and trees are characteristic of LLCA D6: Upper Dicker in the Wooded Clay Vales LCA Photo location: View along Coldharbor Road close to site 799/3090 (Rainbow Farm and Oak Tree Farm - Lower Dicker) 8.1.11 The A22 creates the dividing line between the two character areas of D5: Chiddingly and D6: Upper Dicker. However, the A22 corridor itself, could also be considered as its own character area. As the A22 passes through Lower Dicker, it is a largely flat and uncompromisingly straight road with no designated